GPS Total Electron Content (TEC): Hourly Global Ionospheric Maps

Hourly global ionospheric maps of Total Electron Content (TEC) estimated by the International GNSS Service (IGS) Analysis Centre. The data set contains rapid TEC maps and movies in cylindrical and polar projections, derived from averages of four methods including CODE, ESA, JPL, and UPC. Continuous coverage is not guaranteed.

Use Cases

• Modeling ionospheric disturbances based on hourly TEC maps.
• Correcting GNSS signal delays for navigation systems based on global TEC estimates.
• Analyzing space weather events based on TEC movies in cylindrical and polar projections.
• Validating ionospheric models based on multi-source averaged data from IGS analysis centers.

Strengths

• Data is produced by the authoritative International GNSS Service (IGS) Analysis Centre.
• Maps are generated hourly, providing a high temporal resolution for ionospheric state.
• Estimates are an average of four established methods (CODE, ESA, JPL, UPC), likely improving reliability.

Limitations

• Continuous coverage is not guaranteed, which may create data gaps.
• Row count, column definitions, and file formats are unknown, limiting suitability assessment.
• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.

Provenance

Source

International GNSS Service (IGS) Analysis Centre, aggregated by NASA.

Collection Method

Estimated from GNSS data, using averages of four analysis center methods.

Time Range

Hourly estimates; specific temporal coverage is not stated.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 06:54:51.234148; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Global coverage, as indicated by 'global ionospheric maps'.